Personal watercraft docking apparatus

Abstract

Watercraft docking apparatus including a flexible clamp attachable to a watercraft to be docked, an elongated pole attached at one end to the flexible clamp, and structure attaching mechanism attached to an opposite end of the elongated pole. The flexible clamp and the structure attaching mechanism are both designed to prevent lateral horizontal movement of the elongated pole.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . Watercraft docking apparatus comprising:
 a flexible clamp including:
 a base element having an upper end and a lower end; 
 an upper clamp element coupled to the upper end of the base element; 
 a lower clamp element coupled to the lower end of the base element; and 
 wherein the upper clamp element and the lower clamp element oppose one another and at least the upper clamp element is movable inwardly toward the lower clamp element to an engaged position and movable outwardly away from the lower clamp element to a disengaged position; 
   wherein the flexible clamp is moved to the engaged position by a cable and to the disengaged position by an elastomeric band;   an elongated pole attached at one end to the flexible clamp; and   structure attaching mechanism attached to an opposite end of the elongated pole, the flexible clamp and the structure attaching mechanism are both designed to prevent lateral horizontal movement of the elongated pole.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the upper clamp element further includes a proximal segment and a distal segment pivotally coupled in series to the upper end of the base element. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the cable extends from the base element through the proximal segment and the distal segment, and is movable between a tightened position pulling the proximal segment and the distal segment inwardly toward the lower clamp element and a loosened position releasing the proximal segment and the distal segment. 
     
     
         4 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the elastomeric band extends from the base element along an outside of the upper clamp element and is coupled proximate an end thereof and is movable between a stretched position when the cable is moved to the extended position pulling the proximal segment and the distal segment inwardly toward the lower clamp element and a contracted position drawing the upper clamp element and the lower clamp element outwardly to the release position. 
     
     
         5 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the structure attaching mechanism includes a foot attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole and extending laterally to a longitudinal axis of the elongated pole and a flexible formable securing wrap extending from the foot. 
     
     
         6 . Watercraft docking apparatus comprising:
 a flexible clamp including:
 a base element having an upper end and a lower end; 
 an upper clamp element having a proximal segment and a distal segment pivotally coupled in series to the upper end of the base element; 
 a lower clamp element coupled to the lower end of the base element; and 
 wherein the upper clamp element and the lower clamp element oppose one another and the upper clamp element is movable inwardly toward the lower clamp element to an engaged position and movable outwardly away from the lower clamp element to a disengaged position; 
   wherein the flexible clamp is moved to the engaged position by a cable and to the disengaged position by an elastomeric band;   an elongated pole attached at one end to the flexible clamp; and   structure attaching mechanism attached to an opposite end of the elongated pole, the flexible clamp and the structure attaching mechanism are both designed to prevent lateral horizontal movement of the elongated pole.   
     
     
         7 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the lower clamp element includes an angled segment extending therefrom for engagement with a watercraft to be docked. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the cable extends from the base element through the proximal segment and the distal segment, and is movable between a tightened position pulling the proximal segment and the distal segment inwardly toward the lower clamp element and a loosened position releasing the proximal segment and the distal segment. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the elastomeric band extends from the base element along an outside of the upper clamp element and is coupled proximate an end thereof and is movable between a stretched position when the cable is moved to the extended position pulling the proximal segment and the distal segment inwardly toward the lower clamp element and a contracted position drawing the upper clamp element and the lower clamp element outwardly to the release position. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the structure attaching mechanism includes a foot attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole and extending laterally to a longitudinal axis of the elongated pole and a flexible formable securing wrap extending from the foot. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the structure attaching mechanism includes a second flexible clamp attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the structure attaching mechanism is attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole by a rotatable joint designed to allow rotary movement of the elongated pole relative to the structure attaching mechanism only in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the elongated pole is axially extendable. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the extendable pole includes two or more lengths of pole nested coaxially together or a telescoping arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . Watercraft docking apparatus comprising:
 an elongated pole;   a flexible clamp including:
 a base element having an upper end and a lower end; 
 an upper clamp element having a proximal segment and a distal segment pivotally coupled in series to the upper end of the base element; 
 a lower clamp element pivotally coupled to the lower end of the base element; and 
 wherein the upper clamp element and the lower clamp element oppose one another and are movable inwardly toward one another to an engaged position and movable outwardly away from one another to a disengaged position; 
 a cable extending from the base element through the proximal segment and the distal segment, and is movable between a tightened position pulling the proximal segment and the distal segment inwardly toward the lower clamp element to the engaged position and a loosened position releasing the proximal segment and the distal segment; and 
 an elastomeric band extending from the base element along an outside of the upper clamp element and is coupled proximate an end thereof and is movable between a stretched position when the cable is moved to the extended position pulling the proximal segment and the distal segment inwardly toward the lower clamp element and a contracted position drawing the upper clamp element and the lower clamp element outwardly to the release position; and 
   structure attaching mechanism attached to an opposite end of the elongated pole, the flexible clamp and the structure attaching mechanism are both designed to prevent lateral horizontal movement of the elongated pole.   
     
     
         16 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the structure attaching mechanism includes a foot attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole and extending laterally to a longitudinal axis of the elongated pole and a flexible formable securing wrap extending from the foot. 
     
     
         17 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the structure attaching mechanism includes a second flexible clamp attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft docking apparatus as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the structure attaching mechanism is attached to the opposite end of the elongated pole by a rotatable joint designed to allow rotary movement of the elongated pole relative to the structure attaching mechanism only in a vertical direction.